John recognized the voice quickly enough, uncocked his gun and lowered it again. It was too dim to make communication easy. Dammit. "And if you're going to sneak around stables in the dark, you're gonna get shot." It was audible. First words he'd spoken to another human in years. And his voice was *ruined*. Rough, ragged, hoarse as hell and it *sounded* about as painful as it was.